


All Things Up In Smoke

by kaizerian



Category: Constantine (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-11
Updated: 2017-12-11
Packaged: 2019-02-13 12:35:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,153
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12984195
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kaizerian/pseuds/kaizerian
Summary: A continuation after the last episode of Season 1. John and Chas attempt to interrogate a demon, and things go south.





	All Things Up In Smoke

“Chas! Be a sweetheart will you, and pass the fucking holy water!”

The girl struggles against the rope restraints as Constantine kneels on her, a palm heavily pressed on her forehead. The demon lunges at John, screaming and laughing, a wet sound mixed with the gurgling blood. 

Chas hurries and dunks the cross in the pail of water a few more times for good measure, hurriedly pushing it into John’s outstretched hand. Water sloshes out of the pail onto the wooden floor as Chas curses under his breath. “Here, Jesus, don’t get your panties in a twist.” He bites his lip and stares worriedly at the girl who’s began clichédly levitating with John still perched on top. This isn’t a normal demon—John would never had this much trouble exorcising an everyday garden devil.  
John splashes the pail liberally at the girl, who hisses and burns with every drop, yet her laugh only gets louder and louder. A pressure builds in the back of Chas’ head, something’s wrong, something is going to go wrong. John chants in an ever-increasing volume, each syllable harsher and harsher and it scratches out of his throat.

And of a sudden, it all falls silent. 

The girl collapses on the bed, and John swings his legs off, ghastly pale and sweaty. 

“Chas, tie her up and get the cab. We are heading back to the bunker.”

“Hold on, isn’t she in the clear? How the hell we gonna explain this to her family?”

“There isn’t time for arguments! If you trust me, do it. Do it now.” John glares and pushes a chair aside, stalking out of the room to the frenzy of onlookers outside.  
Chas risks a glance at the girl. Her eyes are closed shut and her hair strewn everywhere. He isn’t sure he wants to be near her, much less tie her up and ride in his backseat. Gingerly, he loops the rope around her icy hands and rolls her into the bedsheet. John’s got another thinking if he wants her to be carried with skin contact.

The cab speeds along the expressway as John places a guarding hand against the wrapped body in the backseat. “Well, you two look oddly romantic, huh. If only she wasn’t in fucking bedsheets and we didn’t look like serial killers on the run.”

“Cut the crap and drive, love. It’s no joke this time around.” Chas’ eyebrows almost disappear into his hairline—must be bad, if John’s the crabby one. 

The pair stalk into the hallway and John throws open a random door, as it bangs against the wall with a painful creak. Chas hurriedly unrolls the bedsheet and fastens the ropes to a chair. The smile on the girl’s face stretches more and more gleefully as he does so, her teeth gleaming amidst the dirt and grime.

“What in hell—“

Sharp fingers stab out of the bedsheet and jam their way down into Chas’ arm. The girl’s head turns a good 270 degrees and grins sweetly at him. Chas rips his arm away in shock, only to find himself pinned beside her and blood welling up at the pinpoints of her nails. 

John splashes more holy water at the demon, chanting as she convulses and writhes. Taking opportunity of this distraction, Chas jerks off and places a wide berth between him and the girl. Demons always unsettled him, more than anything else. 

Laughter starts ringing through the room, as the demon throws her head back. She stares directly at John and winks, “Oh Constantine sweetie, you haven’t banished me yet. Does this vessel attract you, hm? Come on, I’ll show you a good time.”

John growls and stalks nearer, “Why were you able to withstand the exorcism? Is it the brujeria? Givin you powers, is that it?” He splashes more holy water, as she chokes and gurgles. 

“Why, that bothering you honey? I can work for you too, y’know? Sure look more attractive.”

John stands flush against the demon, and grabs her filthy face is his hands. He peers into her ink black eyes and asks low, “Who released the brujeria? Tell me now and I’ll let you go.”

“Hmm, isn’t that sweet? You know Chas, I wouldn’t mind being in his shadow too. The great sex must make up for it.” She crooks her chin towards Chas and licks John’s cheek mockingly. John slams her head into the steel backing of the chair. It rings with a sharp crack—Chas starts towards him, John’s losing control.  
“Ooh ouchie, wouldn’t do that if I were you. What if I lose my memories and can’t talk, darling?”

“I’ll give you one last chance. Who released the brujeria?”

She cackles, looks him straight in the eyes and spits, “You.” 

“The great John Constantine, the one and only rock star. Hasn’t it occurred to you that the balance was compromised when you were speaking to angels? Halfsies aren’t supposed to have contact hm, much less full ones. Maybe it’s the self-obsession and the busy boyfriend-fucking, wouldn’t blame you. I know a cute face when I see one.”

John jerks away from the chair, eyes alight as he raises his Bible and commands the demon to leave the body, dousing the girl in holy water. She continues laughing and then,

Black smoke emerges from her throat and time comes to a standstill.

“No need to thank me John, I need to speak to you.”

“What do you want, Manny. I’m busy.”

“Focus on the material at hand. She said you released the brujeria. The only major upheaval you had in the past few years was Newcastle.”

“Don’t fucking accuse—Astra would never tamper with the brujeria to release herself. She’s but a child. Norfulthing is within her powers, the brujeria isn’t.”  
“I’m not talking about Astra, John. I’m talking about you.”

And with that, the pause shatters. Chas rushes over to grab a hold of John, patting him down for injuries. John stares blankly at the floor, as Chas lifts his forehead up and places a gentle kiss. John’s always shaken after child exorcisms. 

He goes over to untie the still body of the girl, muttering a soft prayer as he begins preparations to bury her in their ever widening backyard tombs. 

John cycles through his well-repressed memories of Newcastle. That moment when Nergal drags Astra into the void, he had reached his hand in and pulled something back, past the gateway. He felt it was Astra’s hand, warm and soft, and the void closed just as it was climbing out.

My god, it was him, it’s all John’s fault. All his fucking fault. For Newcastle, for Astra, and now this. 

He sits cross-legged on the metal floor, burying his hands in his hair. He’s never felt so alone in his life, and desperately wishes Chas had stayed a little longer. The jolly Englishman, and now he’s fucked things up again.

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: This is loosely based on Constantine season 1 after the final episode. I think what he pulled out of the void was Manny, who was basically fallen like Imogen. And as we know, the brujeria works for Manny, so the latter would manipulate John’s guilt and weakest link—Newcastle. A little dash of Chas/Constantine because why not.


End file.
